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Squadron Biggles (Miklo)
Squadron Biggles was the fifth in a series of graphic novels first published by the Belgian publisher Emissions Lefrancq from 1990 onwards. Squadron Biggles was published in 1994 with story and artwork by Francis Bergèse, who did most of the early books in the series. The book was reprinted by Belgian publisher Miklo in 1998 and then by Le Lombard in 2004. Translations of the book exist in Dutch and German. Euro Books (India), an Indian publisher, published an English translation in 2007. In the same year, it also published a compilation titled Biggles - Super Squadron 3 in 1, which included Squadron Biggles as well as translations of L'Oasis perdue 1 and L'Oasis perdue 2 (Lost Oasis Parts 1 and 2). Synopsis The book bears the subtitle Le Bal Des Spitfire 2 (Spitfire Parade 2) and contains graphic novel adaptations of 4 short stories from Spitfire Parade. Some other short stories from this anthology had already been adapted into graphic novel form in Le Bal des Spitfire. There are no chapter divisions and the stories follow one another, with transitional panel text such as "Some time later". Plot (Click on expand to read) First Story (p.3-13) The first story is a fairly faithful adaptation of Cuthbert Comes--and Goes which is itself an adaptation of earlier R.F.C. stories. The banter in the Officers' Mess is much as described in the original story. The sortie with Algy leading newcomer and mad inventor Cuthbert Mooney is fleshed out with more detail. Instead of just a familiarisation for Mooney, Algy actually has an optional mission to reconnoitre long range guns on the French coast. The tangle with the Messerschmitts is covered comprehensively over 4 pages. Departing from the original text, Biggles and the rest of the squadron turn up at the end to drive the remaining enemy fighters away. One significant change is the type of invention Mooney uses to save the day. In the original, this was a rocket fitted to fire rearwards. In the adaptation, it is a jet of misted aviation fuel which is ignited by a fuse--what we might today call a fuel-air explosive. This is arguably more realistic and is actually closer to how Algy described what he saw: like a Very flare and a "streamer of fire". Second Story (p.14-27) This is a simplified adaptation of The Love Song. The character of Corporal Price is omitted. The use of the "Parlez moi d'amour" love song as a pass phrase is also dropped. Biggles simply turns up, meets the girl Renée (not René in the original story), collects the parcel which is dropped from a window and departs. Rennee's tabac is in Rue Ste Germain and not Rue Ste Marie in the original. Most important of all, Biggles flies to Amiens from Croydon in a Lysander. This is actually more realistic as Lysanders were really used this way. But Johns was writing in 1941 and he may not have known about this, and if he did, he couldn't mention it. As befits a graphic novel, a lot more bandwidth is given to action scenes like dogfights and Biggles actually shoots down a Messerschmitt in a Lysander! The role of Toddy in discovering Biggles' route is not stated explicitly. Biggles merely surmised that his squadron mates must have seen the line he drew on his map and so came to the right place to rescue him. Third Story (p.25-34) The third story is a straight-forward adaptation of The Flying Spy. Only a few minor changes are made. Biggles was out flying at the beginning but not to test weather conditions but to test a new model of Spitfire, the Mk II. This is a touch of realism as the Mk II was just being introduced during the Battle of Britain. Flight Lieutenant Lakers comes from 619 Squadron and not 298, and he is based at Westhampnett and not Marley. It is not clear why these changes were made. Lakers' brother is given his full name Frank Trevor and Lakers himself is given the first name Hugh. The part of revealing the truth to Algy is shared between Bertie and Ginger, probably to balance out and shorten the speech bubbles. Fourth Story (p.34-46) The fourth story is a retelling of The Coward. The plot proceeds much as in the original story, but with one significant difference. The plot element involving Annie the pig is not used as it had already been used for "Nutty" Armand Laborne in Le Bal des Spitfire. Instead, a more prosaic explanation is used: Henry's fear of combat is overridden by a greater fear, that of the looks and opinions of his squadron mates. On the way to the dentist, he orders the car to turn back to the airfield. He then takes off without permission to join the battle. There are some aviation embelishments to the original story. At one stage Biggles tells his squadron they would fly in formations of fours in the German style rather than threes. There are more specifics about the final dogfight--there are Me 110s besides Me 109s. The bombers are Heinkel He 111s instead of Do 17s in the original. The final tally of kills is announced as 6 Me 109s, 3 Me 110s and 4 He 111s. Henry is specifically credited with 3 victories, two from a collision which he caused by plunging into the formation of bombers and a third which he shot while Biggles was in the process of engaging. As the story ends, Biggles announces that Henry is the record holder for the day with his 3 victories, to the cheers of the rest of the squadron. Characters *Biggles *Algy Lacey *Bertie Lissie *Ginger Hebblethwaite *Tex O'Hara *Toddy *Tug Carrington *Henry Harcourt *Cuthbert Mooney *Marcel Brégard *Mademoiselle Renée *Flight Lieutenant Lakers Editions References Category:Derivative works